Subterranean Termites
- Mud tubes on the foundation
- Swarmers near windows in spring
- Hollow-sounding wood
Eastern subterranean termites are the termite of New Jersey. Termite treatment comes with a 90-day warranty.
Silver Bullet Pest ControlTermite inspection and treatment · North Jersey
Carpenter Ants vs. Termites: How to Tell
Straight answers from Silver Bullet Pest Control, a licensed exterminator based in Garfield, NJ, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585. Hablamos español.
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Carpenter Ants vs. Termites: How to Tell
Carpenter ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae and front wings longer than the back ones; termites have a thick waist, straight antennae and four wings of equal length. Carpenter ants leave smooth, clean tunnels and piles of sawdust-like debris; termites leave mud tubes and wood packed with soil. They need different treatments, so identifying which one you have matters. Silver Bullet Pest Control: 973-510-2585.
Side by side
| Carpenter ant | Termite (subterranean) | |
|---|---|---|
| Waist | Narrow, pinched | Thick, straight |
| Antennae | Bent (elbowed) | Straight, beaded |
| Wings (swarmers) | Front wings longer than back | All four the same length; shed easily |
| Color | Black, or black and red | Workers pale/cream; swarmers dark |
| Eat wood? | No, they tunnel through it | Yes |
| Signs | Sawdust-like 'frass' piles, rustling in walls | Mud tubes, piles of shed wings |
| Tunnels | Smooth and clean | Rough, packed with soil |
| Swarm season in NJ | Spring into summer | Usually spring |
Why the difference matters
Termites eat wood and can cause serious structural damage over time. Carpenter ants don't eat wood, but they hollow it out to nest, usually in wood that's already damp or soft. Termite treatment targets the soil and colony; carpenter ant treatment targets the nest and moisture problem. Treating for the wrong one wastes money and lets the real problem continue.
What we see on these jobs
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
Carpenter Ants vs Termites
- Pinched waist vs thick waist
- Clean galleries vs mud-packed tunnels
- Sawdust piles vs no sawdust
Getting the ID right decides the treatment. A licensed inspection tells you which one you have.
Wood Damage & Repair
- Soft or crumbling sills
- Bubbling paint on wood
- Damage behind baseboards
After treatment, damaged wood should be checked and repaired so the house stays solid.
Found winged insects inside?
Swarms of winged insects near windows or doors in spring are a common call. Save a few in a bag or take a clear photo, check whether the wings are equal (termite) or unequal (ant), and text it to 973-510-2585. Piles of shed wings on window sills point to termites.
Where each one shows up in NJ homes
Termites come up from the soil, so look low: sill plates in the basement, wood near the foundation, porch and deck posts touching soil, door frames near the ground and anywhere there's a mud tube on concrete. Carpenter ants go where wood is damp: around leaking windows and skylights, under bathrooms and kitchens with plumbing leaks, roof edges with failed flashing and wood touched by gutters that overflow. Large black ants inside in late winter or early spring often mean a nest inside the house, not outside. Fixing the moisture is part of the cure for carpenter ants, and keeping wood off the soil is part of preventing termites.
Treatment
Our termite treatment carries a 90-day warranty. For real estate deals, we offer licensed termite inspections. For carpenter ants, we find and treat the nest and point out the moisture problem behind it. See termite inspections, termite damage repair and ant exterminator.
Simple ways to prevent it
🌱
Keep wood off soil
Wood touching soil is a direct path for termites. Keep a gap.
🍂
Pull mulch back
Keep mulch a few inches from the foundation.
☔
Fix gutters
Make downspouts drain away from the house.
🪵
Move firewood
Store firewood away from the house and off the ground.
How Silver Bullet handles it
1
Call or text a photo
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
2
Inspection
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
3
Treatment or removal
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
4
Seal and prevent
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
Get Help From a Licensed Exterminator
Call or text 973-510-2585 for the fastest answer, or tell us what's going on and we'll get back to you quickly.
Calls we get every week
- Mud tubes on the foundation
- Winged swarmers in spring
- A home sale needing a WDI report
- Soft or damaged wood
- Wood piles touching the house
Request Service
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell carpenter ants from termites?
Ants have pinched waists, bent antennae and unequal wings; termites have thick waists, straight antennae and equal wings.
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No. They tunnel through it to nest.
Which is worse, carpenter ants or termites?
Termites usually cause more structural damage, but both should be treated.
What are mud tubes?
Pencil-width tunnels termites build on foundations to reach wood.
What is carpenter ant frass?
Sawdust-like debris pushed out of nest tunnels, often with insect parts.
Can you identify a swarmer from a photo?
Yes. Text it to 973-510-2585.
Can I treat termites myself?
Store products rarely reach the colony. Professional treatment is recommended.
Do you do real estate termite inspections?
Yes, licensed termite inspections for home sales.
How much does termite treatment cost?
It depends on the size of the home and the treatment needed. Call or text 973-510-2585 for a quote.
Are winged ants and termites the same?
No. Termite swarmers have equal wings and straight antennae; ants have unequal wings and bent antennae.
Do termites come back after treatment?
Our termite treatment carries a 90-day warranty; ask about follow-up inspections.
When do termites swarm in New Jersey?
Usually on warm days in spring, often after rain. Swarmers near windows indoors are a warning sign.
Do I need a termite inspection to sell my house?
Many buyers and lenders ask for a WDI (wood-destroying insect) report. We do licensed inspections.
Can termites damage a brick house?
Yes. They get in through cracks and attack the wood framing, sills and floor joists.
What are the signs of termites?
Mud tubes on foundations, piles of shed wings, hollow-sounding wood and blistered paint.
When do termites swarm in NJ?
Usually on warm days in spring, often after rain.
Is there a warranty on termite treatment?
Yes, a 90-day warranty.
Serving North Jersey
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Westfield
Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B